Concepciones docentes para la atención a la diversidad: diferencias sobre inclusión e integración educativa

Abstract

The terms related to attention to diversity, inclusion, and integration in education can confuse  teachers when interpreting, understanding, and assimilating their concepts. Consequently, this can result in practices with dispersed approaches to real attention to diversity and inclusion. This research aimed to understand the teachers’ perceptions at the Manuel J. Calle Millennium Educational Unit in Cuenca, Ecuador, regarding the differences between inclusion and educational integration, since these can holistically address diversity, whether due to gender, economic situation, ethnic definitions, among others. The methodology employed was qualitative-descriptive, utilizing a focus group with structured interviews to address the research objective. The main findings show that teachers relate inclusion with students having special educational needs or disabilities, while integration is understood as a process of insertion within a school group. Attention to diversity, therefore, is understood as synonymous with inclusion and is, in turn, exclusive of a disability or the educational needs mentioned. It is concluded that inclusion, integration, and attention to diversity are not well understood by teachers, which represents a wake-up call for the educational authorities of the country's schools since better training, knowledge, and inclusive practices are needed, in addition to the participation and involvement of the community in general and legal representatives in this matter.